Puna II Perennial Chicory - British Seed Houses

Puna II in PracticePerennial chicory boostspasture productivityIncluding perennial chicory in grazing leyshas given Yorkshire Dales beef and sheepfarmer David Findlay substantial benefits inanimal health and performance, resulting inincreased profitability on the farm.Farming some 285 acres at Birdridding Farmin Coverham, in partnership with his wifeDiane, David first introduced perennialchicory in July 2008, and has been surprisedby the impact on animal and economicperformance.“The crop has basically allowed us todevelop a far lower-cost system for rearingbeef and sheep,” explains David, who hassignificantly cut input cost in many areas –including seed, feed, fertiliser and animalhealth products – and also believes animalshave thrived and performed far better onthe crop and attracted higher prices at market.“Right from the start it has given us savings.”David initially drilled 25 acres with two separate mixtures containing the perennial chicoryvariety Puna II. Ten acres were sown with British Seed Houses’ perennial chicory and red clovermixture that is ideal for fattening lambs. The remaining 15 acres was sown with a premiumgrazing mixture comprising Aber high sugar perennial ryegrasses, white clover and perennialchicory.“The leys established well despite quite wet conditions and had a phenomenal growth-rate,and by mid-September – just eight weeks after drilling – we’d put the sheep on to graze,which you wouldn’t be able to do so soon with, say, a ryegrass-only mix.”Broken mouth ewes, bought in for tupping and a single lambing, were the first to benefit,doing substantially better than anticipated, and lambs have fattened well and made goodprices. Low faecal egg counts in lambs have led to reduced use of wormers, suggesting someanthelmintic value is being gained from the perennial chicory.PUNA II PERENNIAL CHICORY • 5